"Mortal Kombat: First in line for Blood & Gore"

When Mortal Kombat first appeared in the game playing universe, it was on an arcade system. I can recall going to my local sports center to watch one of my siblings play a game, and spending all my time in the arcade, occasionally playing this game. This game truly began the first step towards the gore and blood we see in games today, a practical brother to the game Doom, in their level of violence was never before matched. Starring the classic Lui Kang, Sub Zero, Scorpion, Johnny Cage, Raiden, and Kano, Mortal Kombat brought fighting games to a new level, making the game no longer about winning the tournament, but actually having their character fight for their survival. The game revolutionized the fighting game, and has marked itself in video game history forever.

Gameplay/Control – 10/10- For a game that involves performing button combinations to perform attacks, Mortal Kombat should have had fabulous control, and it did. The control pad as a whole played a role in performing moves, from simple kicks and punches to hard hitting special attacks. Fatalities were brought to the Mortal Kombat series first in this game, and they were found to be more difficult than regular move, but were always a sure hit to impress your friends. The game’s control was good, and one could rely on his controller to be more of a help than hurt. Having had played games that failed to respond quickly when I tapped a button, I can tell you truthfully that Mortal Kombat is the best of the best, especially during the time of its debut.

Graphics – 6/10- I found the graphics for this game satisfactory at best. It seems to me that, in an effort to prevent having to make facial expressions, Mortal Kombat was made extremely blurry; or rather, the characters were made to be bland and pale. I recognized them, but their colors weren’t bright and lively like in the others game. It took a bit away from the game to have it dominated by lights and pastels, and I was partially disappointed. The backgrounds do look nice in most of the levels, but if you look closely, you will see that they are as blurry as the characters. Overall, it seemed like a half-done job to me, and they just weren’t into making the graphics the best they could. Bad job.

Sounds/Music – 3/10- This game has horrible music. If beeps and moans count as a soundtrack, count me out of your next game. Luckily, in Mortal Kombat II, the sounds got better. However, Mortal Kombat itself was horrible. Each level seemed to have the same or similar music, and it just took away from the game’s enjoyment. I began to love the mute button when I played, sitting fighting with Lui Kang in silence. The music was beginner quality and amazingly repetitive. I am surprised it passed any music tests, let alone was allowed onto the game itself without changes. I hated it, overall, and went without it when I could. However, it was one of the first games ever to have voices, shown in Scorpion’s, “GET OVER HERE!” which gives it some points.

Replayability – 10/10- Mortal Kombat, like most fighting games, can be played over and over without much boredom. I used to play the games a lot, but with the moving of my Sega Genesis, I haven’t recently. When I had access to the system, I played Mortal Kombat a lot, and enjoyed it. Even if you have gotten to the Goro fight and beyond in the past, it is still amusing to whip the bosses behinds’. Overall, the replayability level of this game is high, like most fighting games.

Overall (Rent or Buy) – 7/10- Mortal Kombat is, overall, a good game. It has its faults, such as the soundtrack and graphics, but it has great control and replayability. I admit, despite its average rating, I enjoy the game a lot, despite these faults. I would suggest to anyone who likes fighting games like Street Fighter and Tekken to play this game at least once, and, if you can find it, buy it. You will have a good game on your hands, and if you don’t like it, blame me. I don’t mind.

Overall, Mortal Kombat rates a 7 out of 10. Despite its average rating, give this game a chance. It is worth a shot.